Active Opportunities Pathway (AOP)
What is the Active Opportunities Pathway (AOP)?
Working in collaboration with local authorities to support people from homelessness to independence.
The Active Opportunities Pathway (AOP) is a service that provides safe, accommodation with support for people experiencing homelessness and multiple disadvantage. Through a structured, trauma-informed approach, we help individuals stabilise their lives, build confidence, and move towards independent living.
The support is person-centred, designed to meet people where they are and help them progress at their own pace, ensuring each resident receives the right level of help at the right time.
Who is eligible?
Our AOP is provided in partnership with our (not-for-profit) RP partner, with all residents carefully assessed to identify their individual needs / risks. Ensuring their eligibility aligns with one or more of the defined eligibility classifications which include:
- Individual at risk of (or have experienced) homelessness
- Family at risk of (or have experienced) homelessness
- People recovering from drug or alcohol dependence
- People with experience of the criminal justice system
- Care leavers or teenage parents
- People with mental ill health
- People fleeing domestic abuse (including with their children)
- People with a learning or physical disability
Our model is:
- Trauma-informed and strength-based, underpinned by Making Every Adult Matter principles (read more here).
- Flexible, allowing residents to step up or down as needed.
- Fully compliant with social housing regulatory standards.
How the pathway works:
Safe & Sound
- A focus on stability and safety
- Secure accommodation
- Immediate support needs addressed
- Building trust and engagement
Seen & Heard
- A focus on developing confidence and life skills
- Regular support and goal setting
- Improved wellbeing and relationships
- Access to services and community
Live & Grow
- A focus on preparing for independence
- Greater autonomy
- Employment, training, or education support
- Move-on planning
- Residents can move between stages depending on their needs, ensuring support is always appropriate and responsive
Breathe
Supported housing for vulnerable families with a history of repeat homelessness.
Momentum
Support initially focuses on stabilisation, transitioning over time towards independence, community participation and engagement in training, volunteering or employment.
Link
This service is creating a seamless, end-to-end pathway from custody to independent living.
Our focus areas:
To ensure the best possible outcomes for residents, it incorporates 10 focus areas:
- Managing tenancy / accommodation
- Self-care and living skills
- Managing money, employment and training
- Relationships and social needs
- Drug and alcohol use
- Physical health and wellbeing
- Emotional and mental health
- Activities and community participation
- Living within the law
- Dreams and aspirations
In all cases, our specialist teams use a strength-based approach to help each resident advance to the ‘Opportunity Zone’, where their level of independence is greater than their need for support, ultimately reducing the demand on the social care system.
From homelessness to hope: Mark's journey
Life changed drastically for Mark when he became homeless and began rough-sleeping due to circumstances beyond his control. Vulnerable and uncertain about the future, he made a brave decision to seek help and got in contact with The Housing Network.
Months later, his journey to independence in the Active Opportunities Pathway (AOP) to inspire us all.
Mark’s story is a powerful reminder that with the right support, courage and community; we can help end homelessness.
Lived experience voice
To ensure maximum success, we offer our residents a chance to get involved through the ‘More than a Voice’ platform. We’re not just about providing services, we are about giving our residents the best in line with our mission.
To fully achieve this, it is important that our residents have a platform to express themselves, provide feedback and tell us what it’s like to ‘live within’ the service we deliver; in turn, we can listen, understand and learn. In line with our wider support approach, all aspects of More than a Voice activity and engagement are trauma-informed and strength based, to support positive outcomes.
